Tuesday 27 September 2011

Evolution regresses

Anyone who knows anything about evolution knows that it doesn't regress.  It marches forwards without looking back, and sometimes it makes improvements and sometimes it leads to extinctions.  It never takes a species back to where it came from though

The evidence suggests that American presidential candidates might not demonstrate the same characteristics.  Look how far they had advanced last century, and then consider how they have gone back to the beliefs of the previous century.

Woodrow Wilson - believer in evolution

During his successful campaign for the presidency in 1912, Woodrow Wilson, Ph.D., the former president of Princeton University, was asked whether he believed in evolution.

He replied, that "of course like every other man of intelligence and education I do believe in organic evolution. It surprises me that at this late date such questions should be raised."

Theodore Roosevelt, his predecessor in the White House, wrote in "My Life as a Naturalist" about his childhood reading: "Thank Heaven, I sat at the feet of Darwin and Huxley."

What do the current candidates say on the subject.  I wonder whether a single one of them would dare to say such 'outrageous' things.

8 comments:

Rosa Rubicondior said...

Are you suggesting America may be becoming a backward nation? :-)

Plasma Engineer said...

I would never suggest that, but this particular topic seems to be regressing in US. Meanwhile in UK we are permitting the institution of sharia courts hand over fist , so I fear we have become much more backward - positively medieval!

Little Miss Joey said...

Very interesting walk down memory lane :)

Plasma Engineer said...

I'm not quite that old! :))

Anonymous said...

Woodrow Wilson was a misogynist racist, maybe we shouldn't be using him as a promotion tool for science.

Kenny Wyland said...

I am rather disappointed in my country for the anti-science rhetoric that seems to getting worse in recent years.

Do you have an external reference on the Wilson quote? I'd love to pass it along.

Kenny Wyland said...

Nevermind, found one!

Plasma Engineer said...

Sorry - I was at work when you asked and unable to reply. Glad you got one.